November 27, 2023 – Today, EVA Canada released the findings of its National Survey of Sexual Violence Organizations and Services. The first of its kind, the national bilingual survey of over 100 sexual violence organizations (SVOs), fills a significant gap in up-to-date data documenting the current landscape of SVOs across the country.
“Sexual violence organizations are on the frontlines of the public health crisis of sexual and gender-based violence in Canada. Collecting national data to understand their strengths and challenges is key to ensuring that these organizations are adequately resourced to do the vital work that they do in our communities,” said Erin Whitmore, executive director of the Ending Violence Association of Canada.
The survey findings are organized into a series of seven research briefs covering a range of topics, including the impacts of COVID-19 on SVOs, language, partnerships, governance, waitlists, social identity, and eligibility criteria.
The findings document the history and structure of SVOs in Canada, the range of services they deliver, and the ways in which SVOs are working to expand accessibility and reach through acknowledging and addressing barriers related to language, social identity and eligibility.
A recurrent theme in the findings is evidence of the challenges SVOs are facing to meet an ever-growing need and demand for the unique programming and services they offer, including crisis intervention, individual and group counselling, and public education and prevention initiatives.
“Sexual violence organizations do incredible work on extremely strained resources. This is demonstrated in our findings that document the continuous and increasing demand for these services. However, in the absence of adequate resources, this demand translates into lengthy waitlists across the country. Someone who has experienced a sexual assault should not have to wait months let alone a year or more to get the support they need when and where they want it,” said Whitmore.
“We cannot wait any longer to ensure that community-based sexual assault centres, and other organizations that support sexual violence survivors, have the adequate, long-term, flexible funding necessary to do this vital work.”
The research briefs and full report are available in English and French. To mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, EVA Canada will also be spotlighting key findings on its social media channels, including Instagram, X, and Linked In.
-30-
The Ending Violence Association of Canada (EVA Canada) is a national organization that works to amplify the collective voice of those who believe it is possible to end gender-based violence. EVA Canada’s membership includes provincial and territorial networks of community-based sexual assault centres and other gender-based violence organizations across the country.
For more information, please contact: media@endingviolencecanada.org.